In the art of extracting either an unfired metallic cartridge or the casing of a spent metallic cartridge from the chamber of a firearm, such as the Colt Model 1911, there are certain well known and standard means for accomplishing the task. Substantially all of the means known for extracting a cartridge, or a cartridge case, from the chamber of such a firearm comprise a slide mounted, one piece, essentially flat, spring steel extractor. Though variations can and do exist, the typical extractor will comprise an elongated spring steel body having a slot cut into its base end to accept a locking key which secures it and positions it within the firearm's slide; and, it will have a hook or claw on its forward end which is positioned and dimensioned such that it engages the rim of a cartridge case, as the said case is contained within the chamber of the firearm. When so engaged, the claw will position the head of the cartridge case substantially against the face of the breech block portion of the slide. With the cartridge case so positioned, it will be oriented such that the firing mechanism of the firearm is in alignment with the primer of the cartridge case. Upon either firing the cartridge or manually operating the slide assembly so as to simulate the cycling which occurs when the cartridge is fired, the slide is moved to its rearward position. As the slide, within which the extractor is fixed, is moved to its rear or open position, the claw of the extractor removes the cartridge or cartridge case from the chamber of the firearm and, in concert with the ejector, tosses the cartridge case free of the firearm. Upon completing its rearward travel, the slide then moves forward across a magazine containing cartridges, a new cartridge is stripped from the magazine, by the breech face of the slide assembly, and is fed into the chamber of the firearm. As the cartridge is fed into the chamber of the firearm, the hook of the extractor engages the rim of the newly chambered cartridge and the cycle can be repeated.
Engaging the rim of the newly chambered cartridge, by the extractor, is accomplished in one of two ways. Ideally, as the breech face of the slide strips a cartridge from the firearm's magazine, the cartridge enters the chamber of the firearm in such a way that the rim of the head of the cartridge pivots into position between the breech face of the slide and the inner surface of the hook of the extractor. It should be obvious that when the rim of the cartridge case head is so engaged by the extractor, the extractor undergoes substantially no flexing or destructive stresses. However, there are occasions when the rim of the cartridge head is not engaged by the extractor in the above manner. It is not uncommon for a cartridge being stripped from a firearm's magazine to enter freely and substantially straight into the chamber of the firearm, pushed by the flat nose or beveled surface of the extractor body, where it continues to move forward to its battery position resulting in the extractor having to ride over the rear of the rim of the head of the cartridge case before it engages the rim. Though not the ideal, his occurrence is so commonplace that the front of the extractor is configured to ride over the rear of the rim of the head of the cartridge case so that it can, upon the slide seating into battery, properly engage the rim.
When extractors are of the above typical configuration, the process of forcing the extractor hook to ride or jump over the outside of the rim of the cartridge case flexes and stresses the spring body of the extractor. This flexing exceeds acceptable flexing limits of the typical extractor and results in a deformed extractor. As the extractor is so deformed, it becomes incapable of reliably performing its intended function. In handguns used for protection or competition, failure of an extractor to function is potentially catastrophic.
Presently, the fix for an extractor that no longer functions is to replace it with a new and identical extractor. However, it should be obvious that the replaced extractor will soon suffer the same fate as its predecessor. The basic design of the Colt Model 1911 type extractor has remained essentially unchanged since its introduction in 1911. The only way to truly correct the inherent problems associated with the extractor is to replace it with an extractor which relies on a different tensioning system. The use of coil springs to bias an extractor has been proven reliable through the years.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,421,249 teaches a coil spring biased plunger acting on a cartridge-extractor body having a small hook for engaging the cartridge casing. The assembly is contained within a series of intricate and multi-positioned cavities within the bolt assembly of the firearm being described. The assembly is more clearly indicated and described in FIG. 3. of the printed patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,090,148 also teaches a similar system for extracting a cartridge. However, it too relies on a multitude of cavities and interdependent elements to perform its function. This assembly is more clearly indicated and described in FIG. 21 of the printed patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,142,923 again teaches a coil spring biased extractor assembly. Again, it is an exceptionally complex system of cavities and small interdependent elements. This assembly is clearly shown in FIG. 6 of the printed patent.
From the above references, it is clear that extractors embodying hooks or claws biased by coil springs are known and used in the industry. It should also be clear that the complexity of the extractor assemblies would make it virtually impossible to add them as an after-market addition to existing firearms. Even if there were sufficient room in a slide assembly to install such extractor assemblies, the costs of re-machining for such an adaptation would be extremely expensive. In order to be economically practical, a firearm would need to be designed and manufactured with such an extractor assembly. When extractors having such a design are incorporated into the process as a firearm is being manufactured, the costs of the intricate machining required for installation of the parts, though not eliminated, are at least minimized.
It is the need for a simple, inexpensive, absolutely reliable extractor that is addressed by the present invention.